According to Health Care Risk Management standards supported by ASHRM and the American Hospital Association Certification Center, insurance policy information is generally discoverable in litigation. Most jurisdictions require disclosure of applicable liability coverage, including policy limits, pursuant to civil procedure rules governing discovery. Therefore, when an interrogatory properly requests insurance policy information, the organization should provide the specifically requested information in coordination with defense counsel.
Providing more information than requested, such as automatically including excess limits if not asked, may exceed the scope of the interrogatory and should be guided by legal counsel. A certificate of insurance is not a substitute for responding to formal discovery requests, as it may not contain all required details regarding coverage, limits, and applicable policy periods.
Objecting to the interrogatory without valid legal grounds is generally inappropriate, as insurance coverage information is typically relevant to potential satisfaction of judgment.
Claims and litigation objectives emphasize cooperation with counsel, compliance with discovery rules, and accurate disclosure of coverage information. Therefore, the appropriate response is to provide the specifically requested insurance policy information in accordance with legal guidance.
